


By Your Side

by galateabellator



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-09
Updated: 2015-04-09
Packaged: 2018-03-22 02:02:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3710743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galateabellator/pseuds/galateabellator
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Short Eremika story :) My contest entry for a DA group :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	By Your Side

**BY YOUR SIDE – Eren x Mikasa**

**_Valentine’s Day/White’s Day  theme – contest entry, one-shot story_ **

The light shone on my face, and I knew it was time to get up. I stretched my arms and suppressed a yawn. I didn’t feel like getting up today, but I knew that I had to. Soldiers didn’t have a privilege to sleep in like other humans could. 

So, I rose in my bed, removing the locks of my messy hair from my face. I was wondering whether I should cut it shorter, since it was growing out so fast. Eren will probably scold me again for it. 

When I got up, I quickly finished morning rituals. I washed my teeth, my face, I did all the morning exercises, then took a combat-shower. After that, I put my uniform, which took some time because of the straps… but again, I did it faster than anyone else from the unit. 

Somehow, I would always end up being first. I showed up for the breakfast, taking a seat in front of a long, wooden table. 

Corporal Shorty was already there. He finished his breakfast before anyone else, and was leaving the room. Guess I was wrong about being first… that little man was always a step ahead. I rose from my seat, and saluted him, like expected. 

“Don’t bother,” he said. Grumpy as always, I see… but his mood seemed even worse today, probably because it was that day. _The Love Day_ , widely celebrated by civilians within the Three Great Walls. The day which you spend with your significant other, or family and friends… and just enjoy being together. You exchange gifts, chocolate, cards… whatever you like, actually. The gifts weren’t that important, as much as feelings and showing the appreciation were.

I still held my fist curved on my chest while the shorty was passing. He left the room, and I sat down again. I took some bread and mash, and wondered who will show up next. It was Armin.

“Good morning, Mikasa,” he greeted me, and sat next to me with his tray. His plate contained the same food as mine. “Beautiful day, isn’t it?” 

“Yes,” I’ve responded automatically. A day like any other to me, to be fair, but I indulged Armin. “Where’s Eren?”

Fellow cadet hesitated with his response. “Still in the dorm, I think.” 

I took a piece of my bread, and started chewing. 

“Armin. Be honest with me. Is he going to avoid me for an entire day?” 

“W… what are you talking about?” My blonde childhood friend seemed embarrassed by my directness. “Eren is just… a little late. Why would he avoid you?” 

“Because he did it last year,” I reminded him. 

“No, he didn’t… we were just occupied with daily duties, that’s all.”

“He was _angry_ with me, Armin. He kept shouting at me because of _one lousy present_ , and didn’t talk to me for days.”

“He… he is just… he was angry because he didn’t get anything for you in return. But, that’s not as much the problem as the other things between you two.” 

Armin ‘s eyes were fixed on the table surface. He didn’t dare to look at me. 

“I will be honest with you, Mikasa, and I hope this doesn’t turn… too _harsh_ for you.”

He finally took the courage to face me. 

“Eren is… a bit envious of you. You are doing everything perfectly; you ranked first without even trying as hard as he did. Skills, fights, killings, everything comes so naturally to you. The fact that you are always watching over him and constantly reminding him that he has to be protected or saved… isn’t helpful at all, and trust me… it’s a _very difficult thing_ to accept.”

“What are you saying, then? That I should just leave him be, and let him die?” I asked, and my voice sounded colder than I intended for it to be. “Besides, he protected me after we faced the Armored Titan. After Hannes, after everything… he protected us all. So, my strength is not really the issue.”

“You are right. But, you are sometimes… overprotective regarding Eren. It can be pretty… _suffocating_ for him.”

Yes. I guess it can be. That was correct, and I couldn’t deny it… but it was simply because Eren is a hot-headed person who gets in the conflicts all the time and can be very reckless when Titans are involved.

“I made a promise, Armin. I take promises very seriously,” I stated. 

I made a promise to the kindest, warmest, and gentlest soul, who took me under her care when my own mother died. That woman was Carla Jaeger. She and Grisha welcomed me into their home after I lost mine, and treated me like a daughter. 

Carla often asked from me to protect Eren, from our earliest days. True, I did it because she asked me to, but also because I felt like I owe it to Eren after he saved my life, and made me a part of his own. 

_The only way I knew how to repay Jaeger family for their kindness… was honoring a dying woman’s wish. She told us to look after one another before getting devoured, and I could only obey. The memory of her… kept me focused onto protecting her son._

“This… has to stop, Mikasa.” Armin’s face was serious. He sounded a bit tired. “You and Eren need to sit down and have this conversation. I know it’s nearly impossible with his behavior, for he is sometimes rude, aggressive and all… but… you two _really need to talk_. And I think you know what I am referring to.”

I sighed. Armin is referring to my own feelings towards Eren, feelings which aren’t… desired or appropriate. I know you I am not supposed to feel this way about him, but the thing with feelings is… you _don’t get to choose_ how you _feel_ about someone, you simply do. 

Although it’s hard, and he will probably dislike me even more after I tell him… Eren has to know. It was a high time, and whatever happens now… happens. 

“I shall look for him later.” I said, and took my tray. I got up, leaving Armin behind. I wasn’t all that hungry anymore.

\- - - - - 

After blowing off some steam in the HQ, I finished with training, and cooled my head under the shower. Then, I dried my hair, got dressed and went to search for my idiotic adoptive brother. 

‘Brother’. I used that word many times before, but it still felt somehow strange. Eren was my family, but… that word… simply… 

I found him changing after taking a shower himself. He was putting his linen, pastel-green shirt over his muscular torso, and although it wasn’t my intention to pry, I still saw his well-shaped body. My face turned red against my will. I looked away, but he noticed me all the same. 

“What the Hell are you doing here?” he asked. 

I took a deep breath. This is it. I have to say it now, or never.

I slightly touched my scarf, for reassurance or… for luck, even. According to old superstitions, red color brings luck on the Love Day. 

“I wanted to talk to you,” I whispered. “Am I not even allowed that much anymore?”

“What do you want to talk about?” his tone was unpleasant. Impatient. “Make it short.”

I reached for my pocket. Eren rolled his eyes.

“Don’t tell me it’s another damn present. I told you the last time that…”

“… _that I should stop being a fool_. I know. Shut up, Eren. Shut up for once, and listen.”

I pulled out a knife. I took the tip of the blade with my fingers, and handed him the hilt. 

“This was the first thing we shared, you know. Not the scarf that you gave me, but this blade. It was yours.” 

His face changed from enraged into amazed in a split second. 

“And you are returning it to me? Why?” He took the hilt and looked at the object. 

“Because I am done. _I am done_ with bothering you, annoying you, following you around and trying to make you notice how much you mean to me. Make no mistake, I am still going to protect you and take care of you in any way I can, but I am done with forcing things. I am going to keep out of your way. I am not going to be possessive, or overprotective, so… you can rest. You can stop being rude towards me too, I would appreciate it. My intentions were always good and I didn’t mean to make you feel bad in my presence,not for once. You want me out of your way, I get it… so I am going to respect your wish.”

“Mikasa, what the Hell are you talking about?” he asked, angry again. “What’s gotten into you?” 

“You,” I whispered, and couldn’t help it anymore, “you did.” I couldn’t look at him anymore, I was too embarrassed, too shattered from the inside. I felt I might even cry.

“You saved my life. You marked me when you did it… because… I have fallen in love with you. I don’t know when, but the affection was… always there. From the moment you saved my life. That’s when I knew… that I would want to be by your side forever.”

I finally dared to look up at his face. He was standing in front of me, his face shocked, and confused.

“That’s what the knife meant for me. My story with you… started with it. It’s bizarre, I know, but it’s the truth. And now when I’ve returned it to you… and confessed that I love you, not as a brother, but as a man… that story can end. I am not going to be that person you hate anymore. I am staying by your side, as a comrade, as your friend, and even your family - that will never change - but, I will not be someone who will get in your way or cause further trouble for you…” 

“I’ve never hated you!” Eren snapped. “You are annoying as Hell, but I never hated you. It’s actually quite the opposite! You know that!” His face was turning bright red now. 

“Eren...”

“I don’t want you to stay away, I don’t want you to stop worrying about me, or protecting me. Annoying or not, I need you by my side.”

“Like I said, I will…”

“No. _I need you by my side_ … in the way you want to be,” he was whispering now. “Not like a sister, or friend, or comrade. I want…” 

He cupped my face with his hand, and lowered his lips towards mine.

“I want you to be by my side forever. _As my girl_.”

I’ve barely heard those words, but they made my heart race with excitement. Eren pulled me into a kiss, expected at this point, but a surprisingly good, and deep one. 

It was the first kiss of many others to come, and I was happy to share them all with this man I swore I would dedicate my life to. Deep inside, I have always known that he was _the one_ , and that I would never want another man by my side. Just Eren Jaeger. 

I thought that this day would turn into catastrophe, and that I will end up being hurt. 

But it was actually… _quite the opposite_.


End file.
